Electricity: motive power systems – Positional servo systems – Program- or pattern-controlled systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2001-02-27
Masih, Karen (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Positional servo systems
Program- or pattern-controlled systems
C318S568110, C318S568160, C318S640000, C901S016000, C901S023000, C901S046000, C901S047000, C414S730000, C414S732000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06194859
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A positioner to place a reference point at a desired location in an XY plane based on motions only along the X axis.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Robotics, and specific movements for many other applications, require the movement of some reference point to any location in an X-Y plane, whereupon some event can occur precisely at that location. Positioners are well-known for such purposes. They are almost equally well-known for their complexity and high cost. The complexity they generally involve increases with the accuracy they are intended to deliver. Modern manufacturing processes call for increasing accuracy in order to improve the reliability and repeatability of produced products—a cost saving objective. This is countered by the increased cost of the production machinery, in which the precise placement of workpieces, or of circuit components is fundamental.
In addition, to be affordable these must function rapidly. Previous devices intended for rapid accurate movements tend to be heavy in order to provide the necessary rigidity, which in turn results in increased power requirements and more expensive positive sensing and powering components. For example, a Y axis carriage, motor and control placed physically on an X axis carriage, motor and control massively increases the need for rigidity and thereby the weight and the power to move quickly. These also drive up the cost of the positioner.
It is an object of this invention to provide an X-Y positioner which is able to control the movement of a reference point anywhere in a prescribed X-Y plane, utilizing only movements in the X axis to support and position both X and Y positioning devices and controls, thereby importantly reducing the cost and weight of the system, and improving its responsiveness.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A positioner according to this invention includes a linear carriage guide rail, a first carriage and a second carriage both carriages being mounted to the said carriage guide rail for linear movement along it. While only a single rail is often required, heavier devices will sometimes employ a pair of X axis rails for stability. These may be consider a “single” X axis rail. In any event they are X axis rails for movements along that axis.
An encoder track (sometimes herein called a “reference track”) parallels the carriage guide rail, it incorporates linear measurement indicia, such as spaced apart optical or magnetic elements that are recognizable. Each carriage carries a sensor responsive to the indicia on the encoder track so the location of the carriage can be known. A motor is carried by each of the carriages to move them independently of each other.
A rigid interface plate (sometimes herein called an “interface member”) carries two linear interface rails. These rails are co-planar and non-parallel. A guideway is rigidly fixed to each carriage to hold a respective one of the interface guide rails for axial sliding linear movement, whereby movement of the carriages toward and away from each other will cause movement of the interface plate laterally relative to the axis of carriage movement (Y axis movement). Concurrent equal movement of the carriages in the same linear direction will shift the interface plate parallel to the carriage axis (X axis movement). The XY coordinates of the reference point are thereby known from the locations of the carriages along the carriage guide rail.
Feedback means and power means are provided to command movement of the individual carriages so as to determine the position of a reference point
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on the interface plate in the XY plane. These may be of any known servo loop type, in which pulses are counted, recorded, and their data read out to command the movement of the motor (the coil and the motor track) to move the carriage as appropriate.
The interface plate may be provided with accessory equipment at or related to the reference point for carrying tools or articles to be placed, for example. The shape of the interface plate and the identity of what it carries is arbitrary.
According to a preferred but optional feature of the invention, the interface guide rails on the interface plate are parallel to sides of an isosceles triangle, the bisector of whose apex angle is normal to the X axis, that is, it is on the Y axis.
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patent: 5557185 (1996-09-01), Jacobsen et al.
patent: 5612603 (1997-03-01), Kim
patent: 5698959 (1997-12-01), Yanagisawa
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patent: 0 107 501 A2 (1984-05-01), None
Bell Michael S.
Everman Michael R.
Martin Edgardo San
Masih Karen
Mon Donald D.
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